1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to gloves for the human hand and specifically gloves to protect the dorsal side knuckle areas of the hand. More particularly, this invention relates to a glove which is useful for playing sports or in work wherein padding is provided to protect the dorsal side knuckle areas of the hand with minimum restriction of movement of the metacarpalphalangeal joints of the fingers and the thumb.
2. Description of Related Art
Glove construction for protection of the human hand is well known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,175,226 teaches a dress glove construction which completely covers the fingers and which includes resiliently expandable materials in selected areas to accommodate hands of different sizes. In contrast, U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,122 teaches a protective glove which has a wraparound construction for a protective glove which leaves the thumb and finger ends exposed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,609 teaches a protective glove which includes shock absorbing cells disposed at selected portions along the top of the glove. U.S. Pat. No. 5,790,980 teaches a hand glove with a polyurethane foam pad in the palm portion of the glove. U.S. Pat. No. 1,149,139 teaches a grip golf glove and includes a plurality of ventilating apertures which are positioned over or adjacent to the individual knuckles of each finger. U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,014 is directed to a workman's glove and teaches knuckle protecting surfaces which are added along a protective-hand enclosing sheet which is preferably porous and of rubber cloth or filamentary mesh with a plurality of knuckle protecting cushion pads disposed along the top rear surface of the glove and a transverse pad covers the knuckles on the back of the hand. Moreover, there are a number of patents for gloves which teach protection of the boney prominence areas of the hand. Although hand protection from direct shocks and abrasions is found in gloves with the current art, what is needed is a glove which provides protection for the dorsal side knuckle area of the hand while minimizing interference with the rotation of the metacarpalphalangeal joints of the fingers and thumb.